#hellblazer imagines

You found Constantine in London. Nursing a glass of whiskey at his favorite pub in Paddington. It was surprisingly easy to find him, so that most likely meant he wanted to be found. Sliding onto the barstool next to him, you ordered a drink before turning to him.

“What can I help you with love?” He didn’t look at you as he tapped the ash off the edge of his cigarette into an ashtray.

You thanked the bartender, who had just set the drink you ordered on the bar, before addressing Constantine. “You letting me find you so easy tells me you know why I’m here.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him shift on his stool as he faced you. A smirk playing on his lips before he took one last drag of his half burned cigarette and snuffing it out promptly after.

“Are you coming to me for help love?” His voice was cocky and the smirk on his lips only furthered that sense of arrogance. “In your dreams John.” Your scoff caused his smirk to falter slightly. “I’m here for information. You’ve got more connections to the underworld than most demons. Where is this evil coming from?”

“Straight to the point, as per usual.” He took a sip of his whiskey. “Maybe hell is finally deciding to swallow up the earth.”

Your frown grew and you glared at him. “For once can you have a sense of urgency and cut it with the arrogant, anti-hero bullshit. If you won’t give me this information, I’ll go somewhere else for it.”

“If you have other sources why’d you come to me first?”

“Professional courtesy. And don’t go thinking it’s mine, Batman insisted I come to you.” Your voice was bitter and venom dripped from every word you spoke to him.

Constantine had to admit he was a little disappointed with the way you were toward him now. When you both parted ways, it wasn’t pretty. You felt like he was using you for nothing more than a good lay, he didn’t exactly deny it but said something along the lines of, ‘it’s nothing personal kitten, a relationship just isn’t my main priority.’ He did in fact care for you, a lot actually, but he deals with demons and isn’t exactly the most stable of people.

You’re a superhero. Using your abilities for good and to make the world a better place. How did the both of you fit together? That was the question Constantine couldn’t answer and turned into the wedge that drove between you both.

He sighed and finished off his whiskey. “I’ll make you a deal. The information is yours if you accept my help.”

Your brows scrunched, gaze narrowing at him. “Why are you doing this?” Admittedly stumped he was going to do something that wouldn’t directly impact him favorably.

Constantine cocked an eyebrow, “You said it yourself, there’s something going on. I’d like to assist in getting to the bottom of it. Plus we both know you can’t stop me love.”

Rolling your eyes, you put the money for your drink and a tip down on the bar. “Fine, but once this is done. We go our separate ways. Meet me here in 2 hours and be ready.” Saying before standing up. You had turned and exited the bar before he could even answer you.

After you met Constantine outside that pub two hours later, you set out to find the source of this darkness. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t want to get this mission over with. No matter how hard you tried to push it down, John still and probably will always have a little bit of pull on you. You weren’t sure if it was the accent or his arrogant charm, but something always drew you in.

During your time together, you tried to keep your distance. John had more connections than you do when it comes to the darker side of magic so you did a lot of following his lead and listening to what they had to say. Not many of them were fans of John but they owed him favors.

For a while it felt like you were on a wild goose chase until one name surfaced. Nicolas Nolan.

The minute that name was in the air, you could see the change in John’s appearance. Nicolas Nolan, aka Nick Necro, trained John and Zatanna in their powers. You’d only heard about him from your time with John and through conversation with Zatanna. Doctor Fate trained you, giving you and your magic zero connection to Necro.

However he was supposed to be dead, dragged down to hell after the final encounter John and Zatanna had with him. So, why has his name come up in your investigation?

As you exited the apartment of John’s source you put a hand on his shoulder. “John..” He shook your hand off. “I’m fine love, Nicolas Nolan is in hell where he belongs. We should go to his apartment in Brooklyn and see if there’s anything there.” He pulled out his lighter and a cigarette before lighting it. Sighing you nodded and stepped away from him. Using your powers, you opened a portal to right outside the apartment door.

Without hesitation John stepped through and you followed. You watched as he reached his hand out for the knob but hesitated. You placed another comforting hand on his arm. “It’ll be alright.”

Nodding, he turned the knob and you both stepped inside. John had told you about what happened here when you were together. Catching Nicolas in the middle of a cult sacrifice ritual, how he tried to hand Zatanna over to the cult, the final battle that led to John having to defeat and watch his mentor dragged down to hell. You’d seen a lot of things, but you couldn’t imagine the pain of that.

You wandered around the apartment, looking through books with an inch of dust on them as well as old letters. Looking back at John you saw him staring at something. Following his line of sight, you saw what he was staring at. There was still blood and traces of the sigil on the floor. No wonder nobody wanted this apartment.

“Hey” You walked over and against your better judgement cupped his cheek, making him look away from it and at you instead. “You know dwelling on what happened here is only going to bring you guilt. You did what you had to John. I don’t doubt that and I know a lot of people don’t doubt that either.” His eyes watched yours intently. There was something behind them that you couldn’t place exactly and it wasn’t something you’d seen behind them before, but it was caring and almost seemed warm.

“Thank you love.” He almost whispered. You kissed your teeth before nodding and stepping back to return to what you were doing. Surprised that you didn’t feel any sense of regret in your stomach.

After searching a bit more, you couldn’t find anything. “There’s something more here. If he has something to do with this. Maybe we should go to the source.” You turned to John who had just set down a journal. “You want to go to hell love?”

“Want is a strong word, but we need to get to the bottom of this. If we can find Necro in the underworld. Maybe we can get an answer then.”

He sighed and rubbed his face. “It’s easier said than done dear.” His gaze was trained on you as your eyes rolled. “You think I don’t know that. I know the costs John, but we don’t really have a choice here.”

After pondering the idea further, John unwillingly agreed.

A few days after making the decision, you were both ready for the trip. John has made this trip before but you insisted on performing this ritual. After being in that apartment, you didn’t want to push him and make him perform such a dark ritual.

Travelling through hell isn’t exactly a pleasant experience. You had to do your best to stay out of sight and under the radar. Any wrong move and you could be dealing with Satan himself.

Once you finally tracked down Necro, he was in chains and like every other soul in hell, doing the devil’s bidding. Taking an opportunity when no demon would notice, you and John grabbed Nicolas’ attention. “John?” He said through a rough and quiet voice, he knew it was him due to the trench coat Constantine wore. The one that used to be his.

“That’s right, now we don’t have time for pleasantries. What’s causing the looming darkness on Earth?” John stated.

Nicolas simply stared. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve been here with the damned.” He answered back harshly. “Perhaps the one who dwells over this realm is the one that you should be pestering.”

You and John exchanged a glance before you stepped up. “We’re not here for games, we’re here for answers. Tell us what you know or..”

“Or what? You’re gonna send me to hell? Nothing can make where I am right now worse sweetheart.” His eyes raked up and down your form before he smirked. “A dime like you though would have a chance of not complete misery here though. Wanna trade lives?”

You scoffed and had half a mind to slap him but John held your arm pulling you away from him a bit. “[F/n], we have to wrap this up before we’re noticed.” Nodding you turned back to Nicolas but just as you opened your mouth to speak an arrow came flying toward you and slashed your arm.

You grunted and held it, John quick to catch you as the blood streamed own your arm. Looking up you saw a demon with a bow and arrow. Another went flying and you both jumped to be out of the way as two more demons became visible.

“Shit” Normally you could handle a few archers but here they were faster and stronger than they ever could be on Earth. “We have to get out of here” John pulled you to your feet as you both turned and ran to make it back to your portal.

However soon a sharp pain ran through your thigh and you fell with a thud. Your scream caught John’s attention. An arrow was shot through your thigh, it burning and searing the flesh around it. John quickly kneeled beside you. “C’mon, c’mon love we have to go.” He tried to help you stand but it only made you cry out in pain.

“No, I can’t get up. I’ll just slow you down.” You looked up at him and John looked back at you defiantly. “John you have to go. You have to get back to our world and solve the darkness. Forget about me.”

“I’m not just going to leave you here!” He said and the sound of thudding footsteps grew closer and closer. “You have to. I’ll be okay.” You nodded and cupped his face with one of your hands as tears welled up in your eyes. His hand lifted to hold yours against his cheek as his eyes closed, holding back his own tears. “John please. John kiss me.”

His eyes shot open as he looked at you. He let go of your hand to hold the side of your face and bring your lips to his. It was feverish and desperate, it was him. He pulled away and tears streamed down your face. “That was a promise. I’ll get back to you. Now go.”

The sound of grunting from the demons after you grew closer. “I’ll buy you some time but you have to go now. When they get me the portal will close.”

“I love you” He blurted before he could move. You smiled and kissed him again. “As much as I hate you sometimes and want to deny it I love you too, I realized that these past few days.”

A tear escaped his eye before he got up and ran to the portal. He heard you grunt and yell as you fought them off the best you could, buying him the time to make it back to Earth and close the portal before he could be followed.

He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. “No” he rubbed his face. “No feeling sorry for yourself.” He got up and went to find one of his spell books, lighting a cigarette that hung between his teeth as he set to work. Determined on finding the source of this darkness for one reason alone. To get you back.

~~~~~

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The day you met John you found one simple phrase within your mind: “Do not cross the line.”

And even though you didn’t know that man yet, even though you were about to collapse when hands carefully grabbed you, you knew that some ground rules were established. And the most important one was not to read his mind. You also were unaware of what future was holding, but as time passed by, your curiosity started to show itself: you tried to spend more time with John, talking small talk, which sometimes became more serious quite quickly and before any regrets could turn up, he would close the conversation with some joke and a grin.

But every story has its beginning and its end. Yours started with some voices invading your head.

People's thoughts reminded you of a swamp. Black and rotten, it creeps its way into your mind, filling your head with darkness, unsteadiness and cold. Getting up every morning is a pain itself as you can hardly open up your eyes and make yourself go anywhere. Your everyday world is gradually graying until it is completely dark and filled with people’s pathetic faces and sticky dirty thoughts.

But sometimes and only sometimes like on that faithful day, you didn’t hear people, as if their existence has been erased for a moment, giving you some time to regain your own mind.

As a newly woken up telepath, you have been lost in this world, walking around the city aimlessly when the first returned wave of other people’ thoughts rushed into your mind, sending you fly straight into someone’s back out of surprise and pain you found yourself in. Your eyes slid lazily over the faces of passers-by, whose voices continued to buzz in your head and the only desire you have been holding was to move towards the nearest wall, collide there, grabbing your head with your hands and cry softly.

The man who you so ungracefully pushed ahead was about to open his mouth and tell you off when he noticed the state you’ve been in. The running down blood from your nose and the eyes that was about to close.

“Are you okay, luv? Wake up?” You suddenly heard the sound of a low man’s voice. The one that was coming from outside of your head, not from inside. “What happened to you?”

Finally slightly opening your eyes, through the whitish fog you saw an average, 30ish year old man with blond messy hair and unlit cigarette hanging from the corner of his grinning lips.

You were about to open your mouth and reply to his questions when suddenly everything became blurry and you found yourself pressed to said man’s chest, surrounded with the scent of cigarette smoke and alcohol.

“Concentrate on my voice, luv,” He whispered, trying to keep you focused on his voice. You didn’t really understand a word he said, but the lullabying mellow timbre of his voice enveloped you once again, shutting off the eternal madness, and sending your mind into blissful silence, that was broken by another phrase of his. “Telepath such as you should have never left her bed without some kind of protection.”

Those were the last words you’ve heard before the darkness took over.

The moment you woke up was painful if not to say deadly threatening your life. Every muscle, every little part of your body was hurting like there was no tomorrow and you were pretty sure you were lying on a thin mattress in unfamiliar bed.

As if someone turned on the light within you, you started from the bed, ready to run and hide if the need arise, before you felt smooth hands on your shoulder blades, gently putting you back onto the bed.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, luv” said gentle husky whisper of a man as you could assume, due to lack of ability to see. Everything you’ve felt and saw was foggy, as if you have been drinking and smoking the previous night, which obviously wasn’t the case.

“Who are you?” You asked in a whisper as if trying not to break the sudden peacefulness you found yourself lying in.

“Name’s John. John Constantine.” He said finally hanging his stubble face over yours. “And I recommend you to stay quiet while I take care of you.” He said, putting a towel with wrapped in it ice on your nose. You didn’t know that, but it has been bleeding for some time already and the least John could do is to stop the bleeding.  

“Okay” You whispered, sinking into the approaching dream.

For about a week you’ve been in dizziness and slowly swimming in and out of conciseness, lullabyed by John’s constant attention and care. The whole nights away your temperature has been rising as if something you’ve been looking for your whole life has finally found you.

And one night when you were extremely tired and your mind started playing tricks with you, you found yourself slowly walking into the bluish color of not yours dreams. You’ve been walking deserted streets of places you’ve been unfamiliar with. Saw people you were unfamiliar with. Their bodies have been formless making you think about them being not people but souls.

But unfamiliarity of these things was not what frightened you.

Their darkness did.

You’ve been about to pass the line that divided you from the people, when someone’s hand grabbed yours and pulled you back, sending you into another location - the dimly lighted club, judging by the look of it.

You look around yourself, ready to see people around you, but the only thing you could see is humanlessly looking shadows, spreading around way too quickly to count. Wanting to finally find the source of such nightmare you turned around and almost screamed in horror: The weirdly terrifying creatures looked at you with their faces which have been disfigured, they walked side by side to you, circling you and cutting off the way for you to move, not letting you go.

A couple of too active figures came out of the shadows and finally you saw their insane smiles which only add them more disgusting look. The woman had fresh blood on her nails and body, while the man was simply looking at you.

Somewhere in a distance you could hear child’s cries. You could even bet she was crying for someone to help her.

Dumbfounded you could not move. Fear hampered your whole body. You tried your best to find the solution, but could not come up with any close to good idea. You were ready to feel the coldness of their touch still trying your best to escape their company, when you saw how gently someone’s hand fetched your frozen self away, making you stumble into someone’s chest.

“This is not the place for such young lady, luv.” You heard familiar tone and looked up, meeting somewhat familiar tiredly squinted eyes, with wrinkles around them. “Ghosts are generally good, they are just trying to help their relatives or their loved ones. In afterworld people usually understand their wrongs and they want to pay for it. But that’s not true here.” He said in a cold tone, making you shiver.

“What is that?” You wondered, when sudden wave of nausea and someone else’s guil washed you over, making you bend down in false contraction of nausea. “Loneliness. Pain. Desperation. What kind of person is motivated by these things…?” You started, abruptly stopping, realizing that you do not know his name. “Sir..?”

“John. John Constantine. We’ve met before. In reality.” He huskily said, before you interrupted him.

“So much guilt, John Constantine.” You whispered, touching his face and ghosting it over his features. “Too much for any human being.”

You were about to say something else when sudden scream interrupted you and you looked up.

“Did you hear that?!” You started to breaking out of his hands, running towards the sound of crying girl. But as you stepped into the club’s basement, you stopped in your tracks as the picture before you made you gasp in horridness once again.

Much younger version of your new friend has been trying to fight the creature you’ve never met before.

“That’s a demon, luv.” You heard broken voice behind you and saw lit cigarette in the edge of your vision. “The one I let into this world and the one I lost my battle to.”

You wanted to tell him something, but little girl’s screams left you speechless.

Small child’s hand is reached towards the younger John and her screams are definitely for his ears, not anyone else’s.

“I wish I could save her.” Your John’s voice appear, cutting the screams and making everything around you two stop and silence fell over you two. “But I cannot even help myself.” He continued, smoking his cigarette and wincing as you looked at him. “Demon has got her. And he has destroyed her body and soul and I am the one to blame, luv.”

“But John,” You whisper, putting your palm on his cheek and moving his face towards yours. “That’s not your fault. Past is the past. You need help now, not her.”

“The truth is, I work best alone.” He said, trying to break free from your gentle grasp.

“Me too.” You retort.

“I always put myself first.” He tries once more, but not so sure anymore.

“That's the only way I've survived.”

“Everyone who puts their trust in me dies.” John whispers, putting his hands on your temples and making you move both of you into the real world.

You gasped, watching the man lighting the cigarette with shaking hands.

“I am way too hard to kill.” You said, sitting up in the bed you found yourself in. “And before you ask me not to go into your dream realms again, which I won’t do, by the way. Remember, that I already saw your past and it didn’t scare me off.”

“Luv…” John started, ready to cut you off, but stopped as soon as he saw your confident look. “Was it not you who almost blacked out because of the souls?” He smirked, wincing as small pillow hit his face.

“The girl has her right on being scared for a second.” You confidently said, smiling gently as you hears his low laugh.

The first time John said those words you didn’t really took any notice of them. Constantine has always been known as a gloomy, yet honest kind of person once he has got himself wasted. So there was really nothing to be surprised about when his right hand circled your waist in vain attempt to lift himself off your figure as to not completely be hunched over you and slurred some words into your ear, making you cringe.

The very same words you’ve been secretly waiting for a long time and the same words you’ve been terrified to finally get. The two of you have been friends for ages. Literately. You’ve known John since you two have been little kids.

Usually such friendship cannot be broken. But you knew well enough once you open up your mouth and say something – your friendship will circle the drain before vanishing into nothingness. You knew John’s rule not to get close to those he cared for in fear of being the reason of them getting hurt.

“I love you.”John slurred into your ear, making you shiver before closing off and stoically look down on the dirty road you took to get to the lousy motel room, you’ve been sharing lately as none of you had a place to leave in London nowadays.

“Yeah, yeah.” You nodded in agreement, smiling at his drunken antics “If I were you, I would definitely love myself as well, honey. I am awesome and you know it.” You laughed openly, not noticing John’s almost stone-cold sobered facing expression. 

The second time took you by surprise even more but not only because of what John’s said, but the absurd of the situation ha has found time to tell you that at. You have been hanging by an old rope that was surprisingly left hanging just below the river, holding mostly onto the slightest hope, that such John’s idea was a good one. The two of you was trying to cast one little siren out and somehow it appealed to John that making you a bait would be a wise idea. It’s not like you tried to object a lot – you usually trusted John even if you realized well enough how stupid and dangerous his ideas might get.

So as of now you have been hanging onto the rope, slowly swinging from side to side, hoping that it won’t tear itself in two pieces and trying to seem unafraid and unfazed by a siren that was swimming in circles under the water patiently waiting for you to fall as shark would do.

“John!” You exclaimed in panic voice. “Are you sure it was such a good idea to begin with?” You loudly asked, trying to both readjust yourself and not to fall at the same time. “I think I might get sick soon!” You whispered watching as John’s hands have been drawing unkown to you circles in air, making it slightly wiggle around both of you.

“I ain’t taking my time here, luv.” John told you back, breathing heavily, sending one of his famous judging looks your way. “I try to work here, so be a good girl and hang on!”

Dramatically sighing, you tried to grab the end of the rope better, but right at the moment when you were changing your hand’s position, the rope has finally broke, sending your screaming figure flying into the dark abyss of the dark waters, right into the long awaiting embrace of a siren.

“Good fish!” You whispered as soon as you came to the surface even before you saw champing sound of jaws. The sound you would really prefer not to hear so near. “I really am so not eatable…” You started before you have been dragged into the water by a pair of hands, whose dark veins you could have seen through its pale, almost transparent skin, accompanying by John’s loud scream.

“Why do they always have to do that?” John’s muttered under his breath before sending his coat onto the ground and running into the waters. He was also thinking about how sirens usually should have some kind of sentimentally valuable thing like a necklace, that would be the concentrator of her magic, but all thoughts left him almost immediately when the icy waters touched his skin.

He felt as if he has been pierced instantly with thousands of needles all at once as the air has been knocked off of his chest, paralyzing him as his clothing has become heavier, dragging him to the very bottom, preventing him from finding you. But you must have had some kind of angel watching over you, due to the fact that as soon as he turned his head ha saw unconscious you aimlessly drifting close to him.

Both of you were in total darkness, which mercilessly covered everything up off the world, disorienting and chaining the two of you. At his moment of weakness, John even thought it was a good idea if he continued to remain inactive, trying to die as a sufferer, but the memory of your smiling face made him open up his eyes again, sending a few muffled words towards ready to attack siren, before he rushed to you, grabbed you and went up, dragging you back to the surface. His every movement hurt, even though the body was not really telling him that. The only thing that he really felt was a burning sensation in his lungs as he emerged and the night air burned his already tired lungs.

He even managed to take a breath, before something grabbed his leg and dragged him down. But the creature has been deceived as he has heard a sound of a gunshot that sounded close to them. Looking up, he saw running towards his way Chas with a steaming from the shot gun.

“Took ya long enough…” Mumbled Constantine, who was trying to unzip your jacket with shaking hands. He pulled you up onto the ground, a bit away from the water and turned you on your back. You didn’t react, continued to lie there breathless with your eyes closed and lips being almost white with cold. “Chas, gimme your jacket!” He demanded, waiting for his friend to give it to him, before tugging it around your body, carry on patting your on the cheeks, trying to bring you back to life. “Come on, luv. You might be my favorite, but time for sleeping beauty has gone. It’s time to wake up.” John mumbled, trying to get your attention.

“John, we need to get out of here.” Chas tried to reason him right at the moment when you let out a quiet protesting moan as reaction to John’s cradling you, and John froze, wide-eyed.

“S-stop it, John.” You croaked a few seconds later and opened your eyes with an effort, looking up at two met unfocusedly. “How-how long have I been out?” You asked, tapping your teeth and dreaming of your warm bed.

“Too long.” John swallowed, feeling the cold creeping under his skin.

“I wanna go home.” You whispered in hushed, disappearing voice. “John, I love you, of course” You started.  “But I do not think I will ever be able to get back into the water.”

John smiled with the corner of his lips, before helping you up and getting you into the taxi, before sliding himself next to you and pulling you into his shoulder, pressing his chin against your hair for a few seconds, ignoring your weak grunt of protest. He looked out of the taxi window at the water, which seemed calm right now and sighed. “Do not scare me like that again, luv. I might reconsider my decision on taking you out there with me. But as for now we need to get you home safe and sound.” He kissed your hair, feeling you drifting off into the deep slumber. “I wish I could reconsider my own emotions.” He whispered, looking into the front mirror at Chas who looked rather unimpressed.

“You might wanna tell her your fillings, John. Don’t wait for long. You never know…” Chas wanted to tell something else, but the look in John’s eyes made him stop and start the car, slowly driving off the beach.

The third time you’ve been wide awake to hear John saying it.

And John has been stone cold sober when he said it.

The two of you has just finished another difficult case, involving a child, and has been sitting on a bench, sharing a cigarette, when the silence was cut by a croaked voice.

“Luv… I love you and you know that. But you also know that…” He paused, taking a drag of his cigarette and looked down. He didn’t want to say what he was about to say, but he had no other choice. You are always in danger when you are next to him.

“But we have to part ways?” You croaked small sad smile. You knew his reasons and you might have not agreed with them, but couldn’t do anything. If John decided something – it was pointless to try changing his mind. He wanted to tell something else, but you silenced him, by pressing you fingers to his lips, taking note of his trembling lips under your fingertips. “It must be done for my protection, right?”

You finished smoking and threw out the stub. You were not ready for it.

“I love you John. Always have and probably always will. But you already know that.” You barked out, feeling suddenly exposed and crushed. You were not ready for such turn of events. You almost believed that you could be next to him. But everything has its ending. “Fine…” You threw your hands in the air, finally agreeing with John. “Call me, John, when you are ready to let someone into your shuttered heart.” You kissed his cheek, before walking away slowly into the darkness of the street lying ahead of you. 

John nodded his head, feeling ashamed, embarrassed and surprisingly guilty and regretting his decision, following your figure with his eyes, throwing his finished cigarette butt, before he lit another one once again, turned away slowly walking away towards the bridge.

He walked in an unknown direction for quite some time, taking in the deserted place and quietness around him, before he heard the sound of clinking as if someone has been running in heels along the asphalt of cooled down bridge.

And he has almost been knocked over when a body collapsed into his back, tightly embracing him.